Max’s mind conflicted as he drove toward the warehouse. His fingers clenched the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white. His jaw was tight, and the fire raging inside him burned hotter with each passing second.
Ruth. Hannah. Daniel, those names were now etched into his mind with the taste of vengeance.
They had threatened Vivian. Threatened his daughter. Forced her to lie to him and kept him away from the one thing he never knew he needed, Emma.
And now, he had answers.
Max pulled up in front of the abandoned warehouse, his black SUV screeching to a halt. The moment he stepped out, the cold air hit his skin, but it did nothing to cool his temper.
The door creaked open as he entered, and inside, Ray stood near a wooden table, his expression grim.
“Boss,” Ray greeted.
Max stalked toward him. “Talk.”
Ray didn’t waste time. He tossed a manila folder onto the table. “You’re gonna want to see this.”
Max grabbed the folder and flipped it open.
Inside were photographs-surveillance images of Ruth meeting with Hannah in secret locations. Bank statements, wire transfers, and confidential documents proving Hannah had been funding Ruth’s activities.
His stomach twisted as he realized what this meant. His stepmother, Hannah, had been pulling strings in the behind him, orchestrating events to ruin Vivian’s life. And Ruth… she had been nothing more than a pawn with a grudge.
Ray’s voice was low. “Ruth was never the real mastermind, Boss. Hannah is. She’s the one who’s been pulling the strings from the start.”
Max’s pulse pounded in his ears. “Why?” His voice was like a growl.
Ray exhaled sharply. “Because of your father.”
Max stiffened.
Ray continued, “Hannah always hated your mother. She was never just the mistress, she wanted to be the wife. And when your mother had you, it ruined everything. But when your mother died… it was no accident, Max.”
Max’s entire body went rigid.
Ray pointed at the documents. “Ruth’s mother, Olivia, was the one who planned it. But she didn’t do it alone. Hannah helped cover it up because of a truth. She’s the reason Olivia got away with it.”
A slow, deadly silence filled the warehouse.
Max’s heart pounded like a war drum.” What Truth”
” Boss, it turned out Daniel isn’t really your brother, Hannah was already pregnant for someone else but pinned it on your father the moment your Mom died, Daniel is illegitimate Boss”
The very words shrank Max to exasperation, truths after truths, not just any truth, really heavy ones.
His mother’s death. The years of pain. The life he had lived, never knowing the truth.
And now, the truth sat before him, wrapped in cold, damning evidence.
His hands curled into fists. “Where is she?”
Ray hesitated. “Hannah?”
Max’s voice was deadly calm. “Both of them. Hannah and Ruth.”
Ray exhaled. “Ruth is at her father’s estate after you ordered for her released alongside Freya, but Hannah? She’s smart, Boss. She’s covering her tracks. If she knows we’re onto her, she’ll disappear.”
Max’s eyes darkened. “Then we don’t give her a chance to run.”
Ray nodded. “I already have some of our men keeping tabs on her movements.”
Max turned away, his mind racing. He had spent years building an empire, commanding fear and respect in the underground world. But this… this was personal.
And he would burn everything to the ground to make them pay.
Ray stepped forward. “Max, what do you want to do?”
Max exhaled slowly. “I want to end this.”
**_____**
Vivian sat on the couch, hugging her knees to her chest, her thoughts in turmoil.
The moment Max had walked away, she had felt it, a shift, an unshakable dread settling over her.
He knew now. And if she knew anything about Max, it was that he wouldn’t let this go.
She had never wanted him to find out this way. She had wanted to protect him, to shield him from the pain of knowing just how deep the betrayal ran. But now that he knew…
A knock on the door made her jump.
She rushed to open it, her breath catching when she saw him standing there.
Max? How did he know she was staying in this suite?
His presence filled the doorway, his expression unreadable. He didn’t say a word as he stepped inside, closing the door behind him.
Vivian swallowed hard. “Max…”
He turned to her, his gaze piercing. “Did you know?”
She froze. “What?”
Max’s voice was low, dangerous. “Did you know that Ruth’s mother killed my mother? That Hannah helped cover it up? Did you also know that Daniel was an illegitimate son yet he got shares from my father?”
Vivian’s lips parted, but no words came out.
Max took a step closer. “Did you know all these?”
Tears pricked her eyes. “I suspected… but I never had proof.”
His jaw clenched. “And yet, you still chose to leave me in the dark.”
Her breath hitched. “Max, I was trying to protect something.”
He laughed bitterly. “Protect something?” He ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident. “You were protecting something by letting me believe my own daughter wasn’t mine? By letting me think you moved on?”
Vivian flinched. “I didn’t have a choice!”
Max’s eyes darkened. “You always had a choice, Vivian. You just didn’t trust me.”
A tear slipped down her cheek. “I didn’t want you to get involved Max, I just wanted everyone to be fine.”
Silence stretched between them.
Max’s gaze softened for just a fraction of a second. He exhaled heavily, running a hand down his face.
Then, suddenly, he closed the distance between them, grabbing her wrists and pulling her against him.
Vivian gasped.
His grip was firm, but not painful. His eyes burned into hers.
“It hurts Vivian,” he murmured, his voice low and rough. ” It hurts because I lost six years of you. Six years of Emma.”
Vivian’s breath trembled. “I know.”
Max leaned closer, his lips hovering just above hers. “And you think I’m just going to let you go again?”
Her heart pounded. “Max…”But before she could say another word, he shut her up in a kiss.
Vivian whimpered against his mouth, her body igniting under his touch.
He kissed her fiercely, his hands moving to her waist, pulling her flush against him. The heat between them was undeniable, an explosion of pent-up emotion and desire.
Her fingers tangled in his hair as she kissed him back just as desperately.
Max groaned, lifting her off the ground, her legs instinctively wrapping around his waist.
He carried her across the room, pressing her back against the bed this time around.
“Mine,” he murmured against her lips, his voice husky. “You are mine, Vivian.”
Her body trembled under his touch.
“Max…” she gasped as his lips trailed down her neck, his teeth grazing her skin.
He pulled back, his gaze dark and intense.
“Tell me you still want this,” he demanded.
Vivian’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. “I never stopped wanting you.”
Something in Max snapped.
He crushed his lips to hers again, his hands roaming her body, caressing, claiming.
She arched against him, moaning softly as his fingers traced the curves of her body, igniting every nerve ending.
Max’s hand slid under her shirt, his fingers brushing against her bare skin.
She let out a thirsty moan.
A knock on the door shattered the moment.
Max cursed under his breath, resting his forehead against hers. His breath was ragged, his body still pressed tightly against hers.
Vivian was trembling in his arms, her cheeks flushed, her lips swollen.
The knock came again.
Max groaned and pulled away, running a frustrated hand through his hair.
Vivian straightened herself, her own heart still racing.
She walked to the door, opened it-and froze.
Ray stood there, his expression grave. Max tensed. “What is it?”
Ray’s voice was grim. “We found Hannah.”
Max’s entire body went rigid. Vivian’s stomach dropped.
Ray continued, “And you’re not going to like what we just uncovered.”
A deadly silence filled the room.
Max exhaled slowly, his eyes flashing with lethal intent.
“This ends now.”
Vivian swallowed hard, knowing that whatever was coming next… would change everything.